Dragons over Elsweyr
by JupiterGodess
Summary: One fateful decision unleashed fire and death upon Elsweyr.


**Dragons over Elsweyr**

The crisp, cold air of an early desert morning streaked across Rhajirra's snout; her fur, however, kept her sufficiently warm, so she was able to wear the light garment of an adept. The young Khajiit had left the premise of the Star Heaven Adeptorium to train and meditate at her favorite spot: A small pond surrounded by a ring of plants, nestled against a formation of large rocks. The colorful flowers filled the air with their sweet scent. It was a clear day, the sky brightening more and more without the sun yet having risen yet. The majority of the other Adepts and priests were still asleep.

Rhajirra had started the exercise slowly. Now her blade was flashing through the air in silvery arcs. Her mind and body were fully focused on every movement, her muscles moving with the precision of years of exercising. She loved sensing how they played beneath her fur. It made her feel alive, in tune with Jone and Jode.

Suddenly, that harmony was scattered abruptly. The wind carried the faintest scent of smoke and a roar with it, both only perceptible to someone with senses as keen as a Khajiit's. Rhajirra's entire fur stood on end.

She stopped mid-motion, lifted her head, listened and smelled. What made her react so intensely, the young Khajiit couldn't tell. But an instinct as old as life told her that something was wrong.

Very wrong.

Her exercises forgotten, Rhajirra sheathed her sword. She had never been one to stand idly by if something was amiss. To get a better view and find out what was going on, she headed up the slope until she stood atop a cliff. From there, she had a much better view of the landscape.

She saw it immediately. How could she not. Sticking out like a sore thumb, a thick thread of smoke rose into the azure sky. As if something big was burning.

Rhajirra squinted her eyes. That was the direction of…

Her eyes widened. "Dark moons and blunt claws", she could only whisper.

It was the direction of the settlement Riverhold. Due to its proximity to the Star Heaven Adeptorium, making it the adeptorium's prime source of provisions, Rhajirra had come to know a couple of Khajiit from there. And they were all good, hard-working Khajiit.

And it looked like Riverhold was burning.

As she still stared in shock, she once again heard that chilling, animalic roar. If possible, her tail became even bushier than before. It was a roar unlike any she had ever heard. Jone and Jode, what monster could make such a sound?

As if in answer, a dark dot appeared on the sky above Riverhold. Rhajirra squinted her eyes again, straining her feline eyes to the utmost. The dot grew larger at an alarmingly fast pace. All too soon, it revealed a movement Rhajirra knew from birds, the one from beating wings. Seconds later, it became undoubtedly clear, that this was no bird.

As more and more features came into view, the young Khajiit became more and more confused. Did she see right? The approaching figure looked like… a winged… lizard? Nothing like anything Rhajirra had ever seen before.

Then, with a jolt of horror, Rhajirra realized what it was. She had never seen such a creature with her own eyes. She had, however, seen it depicted in books and scrolls. Had read about it. And it came straight for the Adeptorium at an alarming rate. A shiver of terror made her fur stand up again, her tail whip around in a frenzy and her whiskers shake wildly.

"Dark moons…", she mumbled hollowly again.

It just couldn't be possible. For centuries, nobody had seen beings like this in all of Tamriel. But it had to be true, her eyes, ears and nose didn't lie to Rhajirra. How was it possible, though? They were believed to have been wiped out during a terrible war all those years ago. Were they back now? Had they ever been truly gone? Oh, what cruel Daedra's ploy had returned them to the realm of mortals?

As if to erase the last of her doubts, the winged creature promptly spat fire which engulfed the fields below.

The sight of such imminent danger tore Rhajirra out of her shock. There was no time for such questions. Not now. The creature was approaching way too fast. The young Khajiit spun around and dashed back to the Adeptorium as fast as her legs allowed her, the ground flying away beneath her feet. In the compound, the day was just beginning, with the first other adepts already walking about. Without stopping, Rhajirra ran through the Adeptorium and yelled her warning at the top of her lungs.

"DRAGON!"

Author's note: A little tribute to the Elsweyr expansion of Elder Scrolls online. I wanted to show the dragons' return to Elsweyr from the point of view of a Khajiit.


End file.
